The present invention relates generally to the field of color-image processing and more particularly to a system and method of adapting from one color gamut to another without gamut mapping every node in the color gamut.
Any color imaging device has its limit in reproducing color such that it cannot reproduce all color that exists. The range of color that a device produces is known as the color gamut of the device. Different devices have different color gamuts. In order to preserve similar color appearance when color is transferred from one device into another, such as from monitor to printer, gamut mapping is typically used. Many gamut-mapping methods and algorithms have been developed, and such methods improve the quality of color transformation in cross-media color reproductions.
In device color characterization, a multiple-dimensional lookup table is typically generated. For example, a three dimensional sRGB to CMYK lookup table can be generated for the transformation from monitor sRGB to printer CMYK. In an International Color Consortium (ICC) color management system, an ICC profile is generated for the color transformation for each setting mode of a color device. A three dimensional lookup table for the transformation from profile connection space (“PCS”), which is CIE LAB or XYZ in a specified illuminant and viewing condition, to CMYK for each rendering intent is included in an ICC profile for a printer CMYK ICC profile.
Gamut-mapping algorithms are typically used to gamut map colors point-by-point, that is, they gamut map every node of a lookup table or every pixel of an image. Because of the heavy computation involved in gamut mapping, the gamut mapping is generally not fast enough for real-time device color characterization. Such point-by-point gamut mapping will cause a “bottle-neck” for color management module implementation. Furthermore, in some instances point-by-point processing in gamut mapping can ignore the preservation of relative relationship of neighbor color, which is significant for preserving color appearance.
For these and other reasons, a need exists for the present invention.